James Moore

[Telecommunications, October 24th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we know that it is working when we look at the numbers.

The cost to consumers has dropped by about 20% across Canada thanks to our government's policies and efforts since 2008. My colleague specifically mentioned yesterday's announcement concerning Public Mobile and Telus, but she should really look at the facts to see what is happening on the ground in this sector.

I can certainly make sure that we continue talking about this and make a presentation on this matter so that she can better understand it.

[Privacy, October 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we will not support either. What I just said is that we are not in favour of a process that is not in the interests of consumers. That is why a commissioner is now involved in this process. If people across Canada are concerned about the policies in question, they can now get involved in the process and register their concerns.

With regard to the member's bill, we simply do not support it. It goes too far. We explained why when we debated the bill in the House of Commons.

[Privacy, October 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we have taken many actions to protect the privacy of Canadians.

Specifically with regard to this matter, indeed Bell has raised a number of new policies that are of concern to consumers. The good news for my colleague opposite and for those Canadians who are concerned is that the Privacy Commissioner, whom I met with yesterday, is looking at this matter. Those Canadians who are concerned about the new policies that Bell is putting forward have an avenue to register their concerns and be involved in a process to allay those concerns effectively through the regulator.

[Official Languages, June 18th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, one of the goals of our roadmap for official languages is to protect and promote French outside Quebec, in every region of the country, as well as English. The roadmap supports Canada's two official languages. We want to ensure that training and investments are there to help francophones outside Quebec and in my region of British Columbia.

My hon. colleague should know as well that the road map for Canada's official languages is about supporting and encouraging Canadians to understand and better speak both of Canada's official languages. It is true that a lot of new Canadians, for example, in the city of Vancouver, are struggling to learn either of Canada's official languages, so we do have funding available if they wish to learn to speak French or English. We want to support both of Canada's official languages being taught and understood better by Canada's new immigrants.

[Canadian Heritage, June 18th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, that is an important principle and an important question.

Our government has created the Canada media fund; that is what we are doing. The fund provides $100 million every single year to support the diversity of Canada's broadcast system. By the way, under the previous Liberal government there was the Canada television fund and the Canada new media fund. We merged them together and we created the Canada media fund. It is $100 million every year; it does not sunset like the Liberals used to have with their television programs.

It is $100 million, A-based, every single year to support Canadian broadcasting in minority languages across the country, and in both of Canada's official languages in every region of the country. The Canada media fund is part of our cultural infrastructure now and forever. It was the first announcement I made for Canadian heritage, and we are proud to support the fund.

[Government Appointments, June 18th, 2013]

No, Mr. Speaker.

[Government Appointments, June 18th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, frankly, this is ridiculous. During this session of the House of Commons, the NDP has truly displayed its judgment: members who do not pay their taxes and a leader who shirks his responsibility to work with the Charbonneau commission. The leader of the NDP does not obey the rules, even here on the Hill, when he is in his car. It is the NDP that has no respect for the Hill, procedure or the laws of the land.

[Government Appointments, June 18th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, at 10 a.m. yesterday, the police held a press conference regarding Mr. Zajdel. That was the first time his name was mentioned in this process. My colleague should be more familiar with this matter.

[Government Appointments, June 18th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as I said in French, if Mr. Zajdel, Mr. Applebaum or anybody is convicted of wrongdoing, he or she should be held accountable to the full extent of the law. That is what the people of Montreal expect. That is what all Canadian taxpayers expect.

Again, it is no wonder the Charbonneau commission is going to take five years and cost millions of dollars, when people like the leader of the NDP do not co-operate with these investigations as they are ongoing. That is why the people of Montreal are frustrated. That is why Canadians are frustrated when they have the failed leadership of people like the leader of the NDP not co-operating and getting to the bottom of these scandals.

[Ethics, June 18th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberal leader who says that it is okay for Mac Harb to take $231,000 from taxpayers. As long as he pays it back, he is welcome to come back into the Liberal Party. That is the Liberal standard of ethics. Their senators can rip off the taxpayers, take money away, and as long as they pay the money back, if they get caught, they are welcome to come back into the Liberal Party. That is their approach to ethics: take money from charities, support Liberal senators who do not pay their taxes, and welcome senators back into their caucus who are a disgrace to Canadian taxpayers.